Former Residence of Ma Yukun

Former Residence of Ma Yukun

The former residence of Ma Yukun is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The former residence of Ma Yukun in Mengcheng, also known as the Marquis Mansion, was the home of Ma Yukun, a patriotic general from the late Qing Dynasty. It is currently one of the larger and better-preserved ancient residential buildings in northern Anhui. The structure faces south and consists of two courtyards in a three-courtyard layout arranged in a "品" (trigram) shape. The horizontal row of three sections includes houses that are ten bays wide, all featuring front porches. The first courtyard has four wing rooms on each of the east and west sides. The second courtyard, in addition to four wing rooms on each side, has a central longitudinal wall along the axis that divides the rear courtyard into eastern and western sections. The architecture of the Ma Mansion is simple and elegant, built with a brick-and-wood structure. The beams are typically constructed with three layers of stacked beams, and there are numerous brick carvings and wood carvings preserved on the eaves and beams.

Ma Yukun was a renowned patriotic general who fought against Russia, Japan, and the Eight-Nation Alliance. He once joined Zuo Zongtang in resisting Russian aggression and reclaiming cities such as Urumqi, and he guarded Xinjiang for 16 years. In 1894, during the First Sino-Japanese War, he led forces to victory in the southern defense battle of Pyongyang and was later transferred to Zhili. In 1900, he was ordered to command troops defending Tianjin and Beicang against the Eight-Nation Alliance, and later escorted Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu on their westward flight. He passed away in 1908. His residence is an exquisite example of an official mansion from the Qing Dynasty in northern Anhui, serving as a testament to his life. It embodies the typical characteristics of northern residential architecture from the late Qing period and holds significant reference value for the study of ancient architecture, especially the art of mansion construction in the late Qing era.

Ma Yukun ( ?–1908 ), courtesy name Jing Shan (also recorded as Jing Shan), was commonly known as Ma San Yuan. A native of Maji in Mengcheng, Bozhou, Anhui, he initially served as a martial arts recruit under Song Qing of the Yi Army in battles against the Nian rebels, rising through the ranks to become a military commander, and was later promoted to the rank of general. In 1874, he fought alongside Zuo Zongtang’s forces against Agubai and Russian invaders. In 1894, he was appointed as the General of Taiyuan Town in Shanxi, assisting Song Qing in defending Lüshunkou. In July, as tensions escalated in Korea, he was ordered to lead troops to Pyongyang. During the defense of Pyongyang, he commanded his forces in fierce combat, inflicting heavy losses on the Japanese 9th Brigade. However, due to the cowardice and poor command of the main general Ye Zhichao, they were ultimately forced to retreat... More details about Ma Yukun ++